Postcard from Masindi

Kariuki Mureithi writes from Masindi in the fourth of his reports from around the country in the run-up to Uganda's presidential election on 12 March

Masindi town centre resembles an old Asian town. This is because most buildings were erected by Asian businessmen who arrived here as traders at the turn of the last century.

Most of the buildings were built by Asians

They set up retail and wholesale outlets. Their numbers reached a peak in the 1950s and 60s, but in the 70s they were kicked out of the country by strongman Idi Amin.

The rest is history.

Today only three Asian families live in Masindi - they returned and reclaimed their businesses after President Museveni came to power and invited the expellees to return and invest in Uganda.

When I arrived in the hilly town, it was full of colour but the colour had nothing to do with Uganda's presidential election campaign.

Chequered history

The dusty north-western town had been transformed into a small white island by Muslims, who came to town to celebrate the end of the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca.

This was another reminder of the town's chequered history.

Arab traders visited the area in the last century to whet the appetites of those who could afford to buy expensive garments and jewellery.

Several old mosques grace the town

This is supported by the fact that in Masindi today several old mosques grace the town.

But all is not lost for the people of Masindi. The town may have just a kilometre of tarmac road, but it is currently witnessing a lot of construction - a sign that the town's economy may not be all that bad.

All around the hilly countryside, peasants supply the British American Tobacco company with raw tobacco, which ensures that many of the people of Masindi do not go to bed hungry.

But in spite of all this, Masindi seems to have been ignored by all the presidential candidates.

Election campaign

There has been very little campaigning here.

The only evidence that a presidential election will be held soon are a few campaign posters on the streets.

Very little campaigning in the town

Many of them carry the serious faces of the two main contenders in the race, Yoweri Museveni and Kizza Besigye.

Masindi has been largely ignored by the candidates.

Mr Museveni visited the area only once and that happened about a month ago.

Colonel Kizza Besigye came here before the president, while most of the other candidates have not so far visited.

One rather disgruntled hotel employee told me that, he was extremely unhappy with the two candidates, for concentrating their campaign efforts in their home areas.

No violence

Mr Museveni and Mr Besigye have been firing all their heavy guns in their home areas of south-western Uganda, where many feel the result of this election will be decided.

There has been no violence in Masindi.

This is perhaps because the people remember the harassment and intimidation they went through when rebels operated near the area.

The government sorted them out, which most people seem to thank Yoweri Museveni for.

So will it be Mr Museveni? Or will it be Mr Besigye on 12 March?

From what I have heard here in Masindi, it is difficulty to tell who the frontrunner is.